Acetylene-gas generator.



J. s. RHEA.

AGETYLBNE GAS GENERATOR. APPLIGATION FILED 11511.24. 1910.

982,389. vmamma.a.11.24,1911.

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.UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JAMES SAMUEL RI-IEA, OF PURDY, MISSOURI.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

To all 'whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. RHEA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Purdy, in the county of Barry and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in acetylene generators and the main object thereof is to produce a device of this kind that will operate with efliciency and at the same time will be durable, and inexpensive to install.

With the above and other objects in view. my invention consists of the novel construction and arrangements of parts as are fully described in this specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and particularly pointed out in the claims appended. I

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view of my generator'. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the carbid tank support. Fig. 3 is a segmental, vertical, sectional view of one of the legs of said carbid tank support and the parts adjacent thereto.

Referring more particularly to the drawings my invention is described as follows: The main or largest tank 1 is made of concrete and with the exception of a small portion thereof, said tank is buried beneath the surface of the earth. The preferred manner of doing this is to first dig a hole of sufficient size and then build the tank therein, the thickness of the concrete or cement being whatever is desired or adapted for the purpose. Said tank 1 is placed either in an outhouse or in an open space some distance from thedwelling house to which the acetylene gas is to be piped. The numeral 2 indicates a O'as pipe which is buried beneath the ground in its'course from the dwelling house to said tank 1 and then its vertically disposed portion 3 is formed in the concrete walls of said tank. A second vertically disposed section 4 of said pipe 2 extends a sufficient distance into said tank so that its upper end is above the level of the water, which water is placed in the tank, the purpose of which will be clearly brought forth hereinafter. A stop cock 5 is placed as indicated in Fig. 1 for the purpose of entirely cutting off the flow of gas to the dwelling house. Resting on the base of said tank 1 is a carbid holder support 6 composed of a plurality Of iron strips 7 each of which is provided Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 24, 1910.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

Serial No. 551,282.

with a foot 8. Said strips are held in their proper positions by means of an upper ring 9 and a lower ring 10, to each of which is riveted each of said iron strips 7. The upper of said rings is further braced by means of the cross bars 11, which bars are riveted in place. The lower of said rings is further braced by means of the cross bars 12 which are also riveted in place as at 13, see F ig. 8. Riveted or secured in any other suitable manner to the outer face of each of said strips 7 near the lower ends thereof is a perforated bracket 14.

Extending above the upper ring 9 a suitable distance, are the upper ends of said strips 7, which will be termed extensions 15, the purpose of which extensions is to prevent the carbid holder 16 from being in any other' but its proper position upon the cross bars 11 of the carbid holder support 6. The brackets 14 are for the purpose of supporting a bell 17, which bell is placed over said carbid holder 16 when the same is in its proper position upon the support 6. Said bell is held in position in the brackets 14 by means of nut and bolt connections 1S, which bolts pass through said perforations in the brackets 14 and registering perforations in the walls of the bell near the lower edge thereof. The carbid holder 16 when in its pro-per position on the support 6 has its base slightly submerged below the surface of the water in said tank 1, so that the carbid 19 contained therein may become moist or damp in order that it will give off gas as above stated. Said holder 16 is provided with a plurality of perfor-ations 20 in its base, side walls and lid 21., the purpose of which is obviously to allow the entrance of water thereunto and the escape of acetylene gas therefrom. l

The bell 17 is placed over the holder 16 obviously for the purpose of collecting the gas generated by the carbid contained in the holder. It will be seen upon reference to Fig. 1 that the tank or receptacle 1 is enlarged from a point slightly above the water line upward to its mouth, leaving the shoulders 23 and 24. Anchored in said shoulder 23 is a hook 25 to which is connected one end of a rope or cable 26. Anehored in the shoulder 24 is a bearing 27 wherein is mounted a pulley 28. Secured to the upper edge of the bell 17 and projecting diagonally outward threfrom and in alinement with said hook 25 and said pulley 28 are the pulley boxes 31 and 32 respectively. Said rope 26, one end of which is connected to the hook 25, as stated, passes over the pulleys 31 and 32, under the pulley 28, over the pulleys 33, which are placed at suitable points at the upper portion of the tank l, into a hole or cavity 34, a number of said Weights 22 being connected to its other end. Said weights may be varied in number according to the weight of the devices which they are intended to over balance. When the bell is first placed in the position as indicated by the dotted lines, the said bell will gradually sink until it assumes its normal position, the cock 5 being open. It is explained that in placing the bell in position the stop cock 5 is opened so that the water will enter said bell. lWhen the water within the bell rises to its normal level the stop cock is closed to prevent the escape of the gas while being generated; as the gas is generated in the bell its pressure will force the water contained in the bell, therefrom, into the upper portion oit' tank l. `While the gas in the bell is being consumed the watei' will reenter the said bell and will again come into Contact with the carbid contained in the holder. The weights are intended to be suiiicient in size to cause the water contained in the bell to take the course as above described.

It will be seen that the carbid tank 16 is supplied with a handle or hoop 35 and my bell with a handle 36 so that each may be easily moved about from place to place when desired.

Although I have specifically described the construction of my device yet I may claim -the right to make such changes in the form and construction thereof as will not depart from the spirit of the invention and as fall within the scope of the claims hereunto attached.

Having described my invention what I claim as new, is:

l. In a generator of the class described, the combination of a main tank with a holder that is adapted to contain carbid, said main tank having one portion of a greater diameter than its other portion, leaving shoulders, a support arranged in the main tank for the support of the carbid holder, a

bell placed over the carbid holder and supported by and secured to the support, means to over balance said bell, carbid holder and support comprising a weight and cable, said means being for the purpose of securing said bell, carbid holder and support in lowered position while gas is being ormedgwithin said bell.

V2. In a generator of the class described, the combination of a main tank with a holder adapted to contain carbid, said main tank having one portion of a greater diameter than its other portion leaving shoulders, a support arranged in the first-mentioned tank for the support of the carbid holder, a bell placed over the carbid holder and supported by and secured to the support, a hook anchored in one of the said shoulders, a pulley anchored in theV other of said shoulders, pulleys arranged upon the bell in alinement with the said hook and first-mentioned pulley, a rope connected to the hook passing over the pulleys arranged upon the lbell and under the first-mentioned pulley, said rope then passing over other pulleys at the top of the main tank, a. plurality of weights secured to the outer end of said rope to over balance the bell, carbid tank and carbid tank support.

3. In an acetylene generator the combination of a main tank with a carbid holder, said carbid holder provided with a plurality of perforations in its base, side walls and? lid, a support resting upon the base of the main tank for the support of the carbid holder, said support comprising a plurality of strips held together at their upper and lower ends y by means of rings, said rings further braced by means of cross bars, brackets secured to the strips near their feet, a bell placed ovei' the carbid holder and supported by means of said brackets and secured thereto, means arranged to over balance the bell, to secure the same normally in depressed position, the carbid holder and support, said means comprising a hook anchored in the wall of the main tank, a pulley arranged oppositely to 

